Repair And Fix it

Charging a Dodge Caravans air conditioning unit, called commonly "A/C" or "AC," with new freon is not a hard task to do, and the reward of having your A/C working properly again is plenty of motivation. If your air conditioning unit is not working, a recharge of the A/C systems chemical cooling agent, called rigerant or often freon, may be just what you need. If your Caravan was made before 1995, a professional will have to make other adjustments before you can recharge with rigerant on your own.

Instructions

1

Check your Caravans air conditioning line for air conditioning leaks before attempting to add rigerant. Auto parts stores sell leak-detection kits that you can use to detect leaks while also sealing small ones. Follow manufacturers directions on how to use the leak detection kit you choose. If there is a large leak, do not add rigerant; instead, take your Caravan to a professional.

2

Find the Low Pressure Side service port. It is marked Low and is black in color. Remove it.

3

Turn on the A/C to the coldest, highest settings possible. Use a pressure gauge to make sure there is pressure. If the pressure gauge is not measuring any pressure, then there may be a bigger problem that needs the attention of a professional.

4

Attach the hose to recharge the rigerant on the Low Pressure Side. Open the valve so the rigerant can flow into the system. Keep the can upright. When it is emptied, remove the ill hose and close the cap.

5

Turn on your air for 30 minutes to allow the rigerant to make its way completely through the system. Check the pressure again; it should have increased. If it has not, add more rigerant.

Hourly Rate

According to AutoMD, an online auto repair advice site, this job will take roughly an hour to complete depending on the make, model and vintage of the automobile, Dont forget to factor in your own work speed and competence level. Repair shops charge $90 to $120 per hour for their technicians. Independent repairmen normally charge somewhat less.

Charge Flat Rate

You may consider charging a flat rate for the repair, depending on the circumstances. If you are doing the job for a friend, neighbor or relative, you might want to charge only for the material needed to secure the window back into the track. If you are unfamiliar with how to do this particular repair and unsure how much time you will need to complete the job, give the customer a flat rate quote.

Bottom Line

If you were a trained technician, familiar with this sort of repair, you wouldnt be asking this question. Assuming you are unfamiliar with window repairs or only a part-time repairman, give the customer a flat rate quote based on the cost of materials, the amount of time you estimate you will need and what you consider is a fair rate.

A portable vehicle jump starting device can be handy if your car has a dead battery. However, the jump starter wont do much good if it, too, is dead. Fortunately, most vehicle battery jump starters, sometimes referred to as battery chargers, come with several options to keep them charged. How you charge your specific battery jump starter will depend on the brand and item you purchased.

Instructions

1

Plug the battery jump starter into a regular wall outlet. Many car battery jump starters and chargers have standard plugs that can connect them to an electrical outlet. These batteries charge using electricity, so the process is similar to plugging your cell phone into its wall-charger.

2

Use your vehicles A/C adapter. You can charge many car battery jump starters by attaching them to the the A/C adapter (cigarette lighter) on your vehicle. Similar to charging a cell phone in a car, the jump starter can draw enough power from your A/C outlet to keep a full charge and will be ready when you need it.

3

Use solar power. Though they are not very common, there are solar-powered car battery chargers that can be used to power your car battery jump starter. These are not typically portable, but they do work for stationary battery charging and jumping.